February 11, 2012
England

East Cleveland residents united in wind turbine fight

by Laura Woodcock, Evening Gazette, www.gazettelive.co.uk 11 February 2012

Residents in East Cleveland have come together to fight plans to build eight wind turbines.

As previously reported, a 60m met mast has been installed to monitor wind conditions on Beacon Moor at the top of Errington Woods with a view to erecting four 115m wind turbines.

And now, a second application has been submitted to Redcar and Cleveland Council scoping opinion for another site between Marske and Saltburn.

If successful, this would mean a further four wind turbines would be erected on the land which lies between Marske Road and Hob Hill Lane close to Saltburn.

So to make a stand, residents from Marske, New Marske and Saltburn have joined forces to try to prevent the erection of all eight turbines.

Saltburn resident Janet De Sancho, who has been co-ordinating Saltburn residents, said: “The approval of these projects will be tantamount to the taking of private property rights, the close proximity of the turbines to Marske and Saltburn would represent a physical invasion of living space.”

The agent acting on behalf of the new test site is working for the West Midland Metropolitan Authority Pension Fund. Marske Councillor Dr Tristan Learoyd has turned down a personal meeting with the agents of the new proposal.

He said: “Local people are united in their opposition to the proposal. I am a lifelong environmentalist, but these projects aren’t about climate change. They’re about a few people making fast cash from government grants.”

The recent delivery of a leaflet by EDF Energy in the area has also left many local residents questioning why further turbines are required.

EDF stated in their leaflet that the approved 29-turbine offshore Redcar wind farm will cater for all Marske and Saltburn energy needs.

St Germains Parish Councillor Paul Smith said: “Government grant deals show little discretion for where turbines are erected. The incentive for pension funds and private equity firms is to see as big a return on their investment as possible.

“This has left the greenfield sites around Cleveland, rather than the former industrial sites, open to wind farm construction.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/11/east-cleveland-residents-united-in-wind-turbine-fight/